Our first sailing experience

Our first time in the City of Chios, our first night on a sailing boat, our first sailing experience… This weekend has been really adventurous. We arrived at the port of Chios City with our sleeping bags, bread, a melon and many expectations. But we still had to wait, our sailing trip would start at the next day. The older volunteers had already shown us the first knot and a sailing tutorial. But now we wanted to learn it by doing. After a nice day in Chios we climbed into the small cabins of the boat Olympia. We lay down and the waves lulled us to an excited sleep full of anticipation.

In the morning, we had breakfast on the deck of the boat. Some of us had also slept outside and enjoyed the warm rising sun. Then the sad news: Seagulls were sitting at the breakwater which is a sign that the wind is not optimal to sail. Nevertheless, we wanted to try it and our Captain allowed us to leave the port. Slowly, slowly (“σιγά, σιγά”) we managed to remove the ropes and to drive out of the port. There was a beautiful view as we drove out on the Aegean Sea, the waves glittering in the sun and the wind ruffling our hair… Now we had to open the sail and we could glide through the waves without any motor. Afterwards, everybody had the honour to call him/herself a captain as everybody was allowed to steer the boat. But we were not the only ones who had the idea to drive out on the sea today. We saw some luxury yachts, a ferry and another boat and as we didn’t want to collide with the big ship we saw in front of us, we had to change our direction. So we pulled the sail to the other side and drove in the directon of our port, leaving Turkey behind us.

Apart from the beautiful sight and the refreshing wind we also had a sad loss. One of us lost his sunglasses which sank to the ground of the sea where they will probably lie for the next hundred years. But one day they will be found and will remind of this unforgettable first sailing experience of three European volunteers.
We really enjoyed it and we look forward to our next sailing trip! But maybe with some pills against seasickness in our bags…